The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Yoon, PPP chief to have lunch amid signs of reconciliation

By Yonhap

Published : Jan. 29, 2024 - 11:36

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President Yoon Suk Yeol (left), alongside Han Dong-hoon (right), interim leader of the ruling People Power Party, visits the site of a fire at a traditional market in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, central South Korea on Tuesday. (Yonhap) President Yoon Suk Yeol (left), alongside Han Dong-hoon (right), interim leader of the ruling People Power Party, visits the site of a fire at a traditional market in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, central South Korea on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol and ruling party chief Han Dong-hoon will have lunch at the presidential office Monday, an official said, their second meeting in less than a week after clashing over allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Han of the People Power Party will attend the luncheon together with People Power Party floor leader Yun Jae-ok, presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-sup and senior presidential secretary for political affairs Han Oh-seop, according to the official.

The Yoon-Han meeting comes six days after they jointly inspected damage from a market fire in the central county of Seocheon, apparently seeking to repair their relationship after Han rejected the presidential office's request to step down.

The rift was caused by differences over how to handle allegations the first lady received a luxury handbag as a gift in 2022 and Han's public support for a People Power Party emergency leadership committee member seeking to run for a parliamentary seat in Seoul's Mapo Ward.

The clash threatened to hurt the ruling party with less than three months to go until the April 10 parliamentary elections. (Yonhap)